【Love】Way Back into Love

Let's Go to Yellowstone National Park!

【Project Name】:
Let’s Go to Yellowstone National park!


【Link】:

http://play.ncu.edu.tw/team2



【Participants】:
The participants of English level are intermediate level.
The range of participants is from Senior high school to freshmen in college.

【Objectives】:
1. Participants can be motivated to learn more about Yellowstone.
2. Participants can practice listening and reading skills.
3. Participants can learn and love English more while they “play” and “interact” with it.

【Language activities】:
A. Things to Know
1. Basic Information:
【Materials】: Background introduction text.
【Task】: Reading
【Resources】: http://www.nps.gov/yell/

2. Weather:
【Materials】: Weather information text/power point slices
【Activity】: Choose your favorite weather to go to Yellowstone.
【Task】: Reading
【Resources】: http://www.nps.gov/yell/

3. Safety:
【Materials】: YouTube clips/ Introduction text
【Activity】: Think about the simulation of encountering wild animals.
【Task】: Reading/ Listening.
【Resources】: http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=PNvTHOrTf_Y
http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=VkwoYsbAv34&NR=1
http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=OssNau9_NxI

B. Things to Do
1. Day Hikes:
【Materials】: YouTube clips / power point slices
【Activity】: Help Bryan to find his hiking equipment!
【Task】: Reading/ Listening/Pictures-words Matching
【Resources】: http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=yd1moZfslWI

2. Camping:
【Materials】: YouTube clips / power point slices
【Activity】: Are you a camp expert?
【Task】: Reading/Listening/True or False Choosing
【Resources】: http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=lCzOu9H22bM

3. Seeing Animals:
【Materials】: YouTube clips / power point slices/Pictures
【Activity】: Animals recognition
【Task】: Reading/Listening/ Images-words Matching
【Resources】: http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=rqMYFrE6uSI
http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=dsrFw-B0lec
http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=luPLv0rhaOQ

C. Where to Eat
1. Basic Introduction:
【Materials】: Introduction text / power point slices
【Task】: Reading
【Resources】: http://www.nps.gov/yell/

2. Dining Room:
【Materials】: Record / power point slices
【Activity】: Help Sam & Vicky Remind the Details of the Restaurant!
【Task】: Reading/Listening/Multiple choices
【Resources】: Self-record

【Online Training Process】:
A. Things to Know
1. Basic Information:
2. Weather:
3. Safety:
B. Things to Do
1. Day Hikes:
2. Camping:
3. Seeing Animals:
C. Where to Eat
1. Basic Introduction:
2. Dining Room:


【Finding】:

Even though it is the English website, it still can use native language, Chinese as a help for learners to undersatand the meaning more. Take the seeing animals activity for example. I found out that though the learners could comprehend the basic idea of the animal by the visual aid, some of them did not know the exat name of the animal. By providing native language, it will help them understand more and have more impression on it.

Code-switching and the Construction of Group Identity

After reading this paper, Second Language Socialization in Bilingual Chat Room, I am interested in the issue of code-switching and the construction of group identity.


I agree with the idea that by using the mixed-code expressions and use of code-switching to romanized Canto and English, it distinguishes them and creates an ethnic identity as bilingual Chinese emigrants. “It is with this new identity that the girls speak English on the Internet, not as English-speaking Americans or Cantonese-speaking Chinese.”(Lam 2004)


In my own experience, when I am chatting in English with my Taiwanese friends in MSN, sometimes I will use the mixed-code expressions and use of code-switching between Chinese and English. However, unlike the girls in the paper, which are function-based code-switching such as "open laugh mei" (are you kidding), for me, most of the time the code-switching is inclined to content-based code-switching. Only when I encounter some vocabulary I do not know how to express in English will I code-switch into Chinese. As an English major, after immersing in English literature and culture studies for several years, it seems that there is a new identity growing inside me.


This paper offers the beginning for further research of code-Switching and the construction of group Identity since there are more and more bilingual or even multilingual people growing awound the world.

Does voice chat generate more repair moves?

In the class, Wienie asked the class: Do you agree that that voice chat would generate more repair moves? Why or why not? After recalling back my experience both in voice chat and text chat, I agree that voice chat will generate more repair moves.
In voice chat, due to lack of visual aids, people have to respond to the other based on what they have heard. However, there are several factors which will influence the communication in voice chat. The linguistic factors (e.g. diverse accent, volume, fast rate of speaking, information gap, and incorrectness of pronunciation and language usage), the mechanical factors (e.g. bad connection and interruption), and the mental factors (e.g. distraction and absence of mind) will all confuse the listener and thus break off the conversation. In order to continue the conversation, most people will use repair moves such as confirmation, clarification, clarification check, self-repetition, or paraphrases in order to receive the correct information.


In the text chat, on the other hand, people use less repair moves. With the help of visual aids, people have less problems of linguistic factors. Besides, if they encounter the vocabulary they do not understand, text chat allows people to have more time for thinking, guessing and even looking up the dictionary instead of asking for repair moves.


In the paper Conversations—and Negotiated Interaction– in Text and Voice, the study also suggests that voice chat would generate more repair moves than text chat. Next time if you are in voice chat, you can take notice if you are using repair moves during the conversation.

Characteristcs of interaction in text-based online facilities

Online tools can have lots of people at the same time. As a result, it will become very crowded and hard to follow a conversation. Therefore, this paper suggests that the maximum for people chatting at one time in a virtual place is five people. I agree with it. In my experience of interaction in Second life, the maximum for me is three people at the same time. During the chatting, the log chat only shows up for few seconds. If there are too many people chatting at the same time, it is hard for you to focus. What’s more, sometimes you will miss some information and feel distracted by too much information showed at the same moment. This situation also connects to another characteristic of interaction: have little time to formulate the ideas and respond to the partners. During the interaction in the text-based online facility, you only have limited time to organize your thinking and respond the other. Too much information and low speed in response will cause the pressure for fearing to breakdown the conversation. In the psychological aspect, low speed will influence the self-esteem for people do not want to be regarded as slow and dumb.


Another characteristic is that people will use graphical equivalents of facial expressions like smileys during the interaction. It requires deliberate action. For example, when your partner says something funny and interesting, you laugh in front of the computer. Then you would like to let your partner know your feeling so that you will consciously type it out in order to interact with your partner. That is the characteristic I often use during the interaction in the text-based online facility.

Second Life adventure

Second Life is a 3-D virtual world created by its residents around the world. As a role-plying game, people can create their own avatars to explore second life. During the adventure in second life, I have observed some interesting points.

First, I observed that people in Second life really care about their appearance and dressing. To be honest, I was no exception. After I was in a relationship with Davdaman, my boyfriend in second life, he started to give some "suggestion" for my dressing. He asked me to take off the gloves ( I admit that they are not good)and changed jeans into the skirt. His look was nice. He was dressed in fashion. He wore the shining necklace and the fashionable watch. The following is the conversation:

d: those gluves are ugly...take thim off
d: you need to change outfits
d: mabie a skirt
C: i only have this kind of skirt
d: its better
d: lets go shoping

Second, I observed that the sexual implication will sneak into the conversation. For example, some people flirted with my friend Luna, who has white shining hair, by saying:

F: Wanna fuck?

L: No thank you.

I was a little shocked when hearing that and finally understood what my instructor Emma said "harrassment". Perhaps in the virtual world, some people think they do not have to take responsibility for what they say.
On the other day, I met the Indian guy, Yeti. During our chat, he had some sexual implication in his words. The following is our conversation:

y: i'm planning to rent an appartment here .. but I'm alone to stay
C: i don't know we can rent appartment here
C: it's cool

I diverted the attention to another topic in order to avoid the embarrassment but still to try to keep the friendship.

Third, I observed that there is a connection between second life and real life. As a new player, I asked my boyfriend in second life some questions:

C: where do u live in real life
d: in south carolina
d: what time scale are you on in real life
C: 5:35 pm
C: how about u
d: its 4.36 am here

It was kind of paradox because we were in the virtual life but we ask about the things in real life. Maybe in Second life, we can let go of who you are in real life and start a brand-new life in Second life. I think it is one of the reasons that Second life is so attractive for the people around the world. Besides, emails build the bridge between second life and real life. If you join the club in Second life, the owner will send the email in order to notice you the upcoming event. Therefore, even though you are offline, you can still get the information and participate in the event you are interested in.

Fourth, I think one of the differences between Second Life and Real Life is that people here like to help and share with others more, compared to the real life situation. For example, I met a friend there, whose name was Tinx. (The girl who wore white outfit ) The following is our conversation:

C: i m new here
t: u need any help like with clothes and skin?
C: ya i need a new clothes
C: thx:)
t gave you Shy-CaramelleSkin13.
C: it asks me to teleport
C: should i click
t: no just wera the skin hun
t: and wear the hair but wear the bold base first i send u now

Tinx was very nice. She gave me fantastic outfit, which made me look brand-new and hot!!! She was also patient to give instruction on how to wear those items since I was new. She even invited me as a member of this club. I was so happy to be here. It made me feel at home.
What's more, people in Second Life will greet with you even if they don't know you. Living in the real life, sometimes I feel upset about the indifference of people. But in Second Life, it makes me feel warm and valued.

The characteristics of interaction in Second Life
Second life is not only a place to play but a place to learn. In our chat, I have learned some linguistic features. First, because we have little time to formulate the ideas and respond to the partners, we use a lot of abbreviation. Besides, in order to type fast, we ignore some spelling or grammatical mistakes as long as the meanings can be understood. Here are the examples:

C: hi u look cool (abbreviation)
w: i want a buatiful out fit > < (misspelling)

Here are some abbreviations I have learned in SL:
1. frm: from
2. b: be
3. 1m: first message
4. wen: when
5. ya: you
6. hun: honey
7. bro: brother
8. sis: sister
9. gtsy: glad to see you
10. nps: no problems
11. cyl: see you later
12. wtg: win the game
13. ty: thank you
14. xx: hug twice

Second, we used a lot of facial expressions like smileys. It requires deliberate action. When your partner says something funny, you laugh in front of the computer. Then you want your partner to know your feeling so you will consciously type it out to interact with them. The following are the examples:

A: >////////////////<> <>

Also, I found there is code switching during our chat. Some of our peers change to use native language when we are short of vocabulary in the target language. Here is the example when we told the peers some instruction for setting:

A: i m nor sure if i succeed to set it
C: press 即時通
C: and there is log chat

In the meeting with TA, because of different register, which is in the conference room with TA, the use of language becomes more formal compare to the chat between the peers. TA gave several questions for us to discuss. The interaction was going well. We shared our opinions and gave some feedback with each other. Sometimes TA would ask us to elaborate our ideas more and guide us to discuss further. Here is the example:

TA: Are you satisfied with the tools/page elements Blogger offered?
A: not really
C: not realyy
TA : why?
TA : does dome functions bother you?
C: it's hard to edit if u wants to post pictures
i: strange in their tools
A: i get used to the usage of Taiwanes Blog so .....i don't think blogger is convenient as pixnet or other blogs in TW
TA : i thought it was much the same as the wretch blog?

All in all, I like Second life a lot. I like to have a virtual class here. It is so free and so fun. What's more, I can make friends around the world and learn some real language use here. I have a strong motivation to go to Second life. Every time I go, I learn a lot from it. I believe in the future second life will become a trend for mutable purposes: entertainment, education, business and whatever you think of in real life.

Let's go dancing in Second Life!!!

The first thing when I woke up was to go to Second Life. It seemed that I had been addicted to it. I logged in the place called Twitlight crystal. I was lucky for there would be an event later on. I met a friend there, whose name was Tinx. (The girl who wore white outfit in the picture)She was very nice. She gave me fantastic outfit, which made me look brand-new and hot!!! She was also pateint to give instruction on how to wear those items since I was new. She even invited me as a member of this club. I was so happy to be here. It made me feel at home.


I think one of the differences between Second Life and Real Life is that people here like to help and share with others more, compared to the real life situation. What's more, people in Second Life will greet with you even if they don't know you. Living in the real life, somtimes I feel upset about the indifference of people. But in Second Life, it makes me feel warm and valued.

Then, the dancing started!! Everyone was dancing wildly. Even though it was not the real dance, I could still feel that kind of atmosphere. There was a special activity called "Sploder." People who wanted to join should pay L$30.(money in SL) When the time was up, it would announce who was the winner. I won twice. Yeah! Today was my day!!!

During the chat, people used a lot of expressional symbols and abbreviation while there were some I did not know what the meaning was. If someone knows the meaning, I will really appreciate if you share with me :)

Here are some abbreviation I have learned in SL:

1. frm: from
2. b: be
3. 1m: first message
4. wen: when
5. ya: you
6. hun: honey
7. bro: brother
8. sis: sister
9. gtsy: glad to see you
10. nps: no problems
11. cyl: see you later
12. wtg: win the game

Here are some I don't undersatnd:

1. t: let me know wen ur ready and i put ur stream on xxx
2. t: bro the dance ball is hte silver one now ubove the stag the other was to laggy lol
3. t: okies lets get tping lol
4. t: hb sweetie xx
5. t: ty sweeite xx
6. M: tc barry :)